More Than One
by Silver.ixx
Summary: When England is hit with a new virus, not one person has immunity to it, much less Arthur. He begins to experience split personalities because of it, and soon finds most of the other countries to be in the same state. But this new personality isn't just Arthur's doing, it's someone who has existed for a while before.
1. Chapter 1

The room was only partially lit, with either the help or hindrance of a main lighting device, the reader may take the choice to decide. The lighting device could be classified just as a simple spherical lamp of some sorts, just performing the typical job of what it was designed to do - fill the room with visibility.

In short, there was a large room filled with light, if only marginally. And in that room was a person.

Seated at a table which filled most of the space, the figure remained still with raptivity, for he was focused on the television on the wall opposite of the door. While the television was elevated several feet on the pale wall, therefore not being a great distraction while meetings were in progress, it was an object that demanded great attention from the person seated in the room.

For there was something important playing on the television.

"Here we have a view of the main building, which has the dual purpose of securing the area of East London and monitoring the citizens located there," a female reporter was saying, with a thick British accent, spurring anyone to conclude the origin of the person. The location of the news was also a significant hint, as it was a key to the issue.

However, the prime issue was something to be inferred, as it had not been stated yet; in fact, however, the issue was something that everyone in the world knew about, one whose origin was England.

In the background of the reporter was a concrete and glass made building, the one of subject, in fact. There you could see many flags of different countries, with the largest flag being the English flag, of course.

"Next to it is is a scientific lab, used to ultimately find a counter product of AC2P. Now here's Dr. Michaels with more details about this epidemic." The view then switched to a short, elderly man adorned in all white clothing. Now, usually the height of a person may be difficult to determine in such a position, but the background setting was correctly proportioned, so that one could easily conclude such a thing.

"Well, AC2P first began three months ago in the city of London. The exact location is unknown, but we have traced it to the very center of the city. However, the source shall remain anonymous for protection. Since three months, the virus has spread across the country, as well as the east section of Wales. We believe it to be contagious, spread through contact of fluids, such as saliva and blood." The view changed from the man to a diagram of the human body.

"The virus then injects itself into the healthy cells using a spear-like apparatus and buries the area of harm into the nuclear membrane, thus infecting the cell. The main effects of this virus are increased agitation, paranoia, and shortness of energy." Dr. Michaels was then shown again, scratching his head as a side action.

The person seated in the room remained extremely still, but was disturbed by the sound of a door slamming. He heard footsteps, but kept his gaze fixed on the television.

"Arthur Kirkland." a voice said from behind him.

He remained frozen.

A sigh resonated loudly throughout the room. There was a pause, and then a click, and the television was turned off. Arthur turned around - it was Alfred, or the representation for the United States, as he was also known by. He stared at the other, silently questioning the action.

"The meeting is about to start. Don't focus too much on the news." Alfred was saying, something which seemed to ghost over the other person.

"No, we are early; the meeting doesn't start for fifteen minutes." he said monotonously, and stared back up at the television screen, despite there being nothing playing on it.

"Arthur, what's the problem? Whatever it is, we can discuss it in fifteen minutes with everyone."

"Alright," he echoed, and stood up, switching his seat for another one on the left side of the large table.

"It's unlike you to be the first here, before me," Alfred pointed out, choosing to sit across from him.

"I know, I just wanted to check something before the meeting started." He tilted his head towards the wall, allowing his blonde hair to fall unceremoniously in his face, covering his eye.

"The news?" Alfred questioned.

"Yeah."

Just then the door slammed shut again, but with less force than last time.

"Lithuania."

"Y-yes?"

"Good afternoon." Arthur acknowledged the new person in the room.

Soon everyone else who was required to be present were in the meeting room. They discussed each person's problems and concerns, all the while Arthur was seated, trying to remain composed in facial expressions and through random feedback when necessary.

Then it was his turn to speak.

"As you all know, there has been an outbreak of a virus called AC2P. It has spread from England to some parts of Wales as well. And…..it's affecting me." He stood up, but kept his gaze on the table, refusing to meet anyone's eyes.

One of the rules of the country meetings was that no one could keep a secret or information from the others. For while it might allow the country to be perceived as weak or in distress, it was vital for the others to know. In this instance, the news of a virus might spur some counties to attack or take advantage of the temporarily weak nation.

But it was a rule that all had to obey, as that was the purpose of such weekly meetings.

"It's affecting me." With those words, a lot was portrayed to the other countries. To have an event affect the actual representation of a nation meant that the issue was a troublesome one.

For example, while the American Civil War was occurring, Alfred suffered from Dissociative Identity Disorder. For months he was forced to endure severe pain from inside his body, and could barely attend meetings each week. The other countries could only watch, as this was a battle only Alfred could fight.

"How exactly is this virus affecting you?" Ludwig, the representation Germany, was the first to question him.

"I don't know, really. But I feel odd all the time, like I'm not myself. It's very subtle, but it's something." he said, this time meeting everyone's eyes.

"What can we do to help?" Ludwig's question was directed at the others.

There was silence, filled only with pondering thoughts, when Alfred spoke up. "I'll send some of my best scientists over to you to assist in finding the cure, if that's alright."

Arthur nodded.

"So will I." The second voice belonged to Matthew, who was the representation of Canada.

"Thank you, I greatly appreciate your help." He made no indication of the fact that the others did not offer any help or even support. But that was to be expected, after all, for no one wanted to become involved too much in another nation's business, especially one that involved an epidemic that could potentially spread to their own country of they helped out.

Of course the United States of America would get involved - it was to be expected, after all. Canada was a surprise, but it was something England was grateful for.

And so the meeting ended a few minutes later, causing everyone to get up and leave, all but Arthur and Alfred.

"Seriously, call me if anything escalates, okay? If you need help, don't be shy to ask." Alfred placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder, to which he pushed off gently.

"Yes, thank you again." he said, smiling, despite the worry that was etched inside his body.

For the truth was, despite his smile, he was terrified. For the effect the virus had on him wasn't as subtle as he told it to be. He had since been experiencing the same symptoms as the people in his country had. He was easily agitated, paranoid, and had less energy, just as the scientist had stated.

Something bad was happening, and he knew it.


	2. Chapter 2

The silence was terrible.

But it was something to clear his mind, something to give him a moment to think about things.

 _Why is it affecting me so much?_

Arthur was in his temporary house, standing in the kitchen, waiting for some type of food to finish cooking. The place where he was in was in fact a hotel, just a few blocks away from the building him and the others were in just an hour ago.

He hoped his creation would have good taste, but that would be an unusual thing to happen. Despite his indignant protests to others, he knew his cooking wasn't very skilled.

The oven began to beep; he carefully opened it and took out the scones. They were burnt.

"Ah," he sighed, shaking his head, and placed the baking container on the kitchen counter.

He was suddenly blinded by pain in his stomach; gasping, his hand wildly reached out and knocked over the tray of scones, sending them crashing to the floor. He could see, but just barely as his eyes watered. Slowly sitting down on the floor, he rubbed his eyes and wrapped an arm around his stomach, attempting to ease the sudden unexpected pain.

After about forty seconds, it went away completely.

"What happened?" he mumbled out loud, and began picking up the spilled food from off the floor, while doing so attempting to figure out why he had been in great pain.

His face visibly turned white as he realized with shock that the effecting rule was still functional in such a way that meant whatever thing was going in in his country affected his body in almost dual reaction.

Something bad had just happened.

As he could not be alerted by someone every time a major event occurred in his own nation, the only thing he could do was the check the news on his television everyday. Of course, weekly meetings with his subordinates informed him of much information, but he prefered the alternate way, as it was quicker and more to the point.

Quickly making his way to the living room and switching on the television, he could only stand and watch that way - he was too tense to sit.

"The main building has been destroyed, as well as the laboratory. In that laboratory was the research to find a cure for the new epidemic, AC2P." On the screen, a shot of a burning building was seen, the same one, Arthur realized, that was fine when he was watching the news just a few hours before. "Five people have been killed, and twenty injured. We believe this to be the work of some group, although the details are unknown about the true purpose behind this act."

"So….no cure, huh?" Arthur stood there, not taking the information in as correctly as he should be. Lying down on the couch with a heavy sigh and action, he brought an arm over his face, and rested there. He honestly didn't quite know how to react, as it seemed like just a small thing had happened. But deep down in his heart, he was scared.

He was already paranoid whenever someone even glanced his way; it had only started three months ago, but increased within the weeks that passed.

He would refrain himself with quite difficulty not to snap back at a person whenever they made an innocent comment about or to him.

And he was tired all the time. It seemed as if there was some invisible force present, siphoning off his energy day by day.

And now, he was feeling all three emotions at once. And so he rolled over, and fell asleep within twenty minutes.

Television soon became the only thing he focused on in the daytime. Every night he slept on the couch in the living room, and constantly kept the screen from being even the slightest bit blank at all times.

He found it more and more pleasurable to sit at the kitchen table and write random notes, and then stick them on the fridge. He rarely ate, but when he did it was something he had found in the back of his fridge.

Every so often would he seldom feel severe pain again, and would look over at the screen only to see what he expected - news of another crime that escalated the AC2P issue.

And that was all he did - write dislocative ideas on notes and watch the news.

It was his obsession that lasted five days.


End file.
